Fusion releases energy. The energy released is related to Einstein's famous equation, E=mc2.

For a fusion reaction to occur it is necessary to bring the nuclei so close together that nuclear forces become important and "glue" the nuclei together. The nuclear force only acts over incredibly small distances and has to counteract the electrostatic force where the positively charged nuclei repel each other. For these reasons fusion most easily occurs in a high density, high
temperature environment.

On Earth, nuclear fusion was first reached in the explosion of the
Hydrogen bomb.
In a non-desctructive manner, fusion has also been reached in different
experimental devices
aimed at studying the possibility of producing energy in a controlled fashion.

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